Obsession Leads to Coruscant
by Dolfinz
Summary: Andraya is a girl who can stop the fall of the galaxy, but only if she can gain the Jedi's trust. Will ObiWan ever learn to trust her completely...and what would happen if he did? UPDATED! CH 4&5 up! :
1. Chapter 1

Intense artificially reflected light assaulted my vision as I pushed my way through the wall of pedestrians that flooded the walkway miles above the surface of Coruscant. As I made my way farther from the small barren room that I now called home, the fear that had been flickering in my heart since I arrived grew into a blaze, and almost made me turn back. My destination had been visible since I stepped out the door, a massive girth of duracrete and height of towering spires rising high above the surrounding buildings to reach for the stars. As I got closer, the crowds thinned, no doubt intimidated by the enormity of the shadow cast by one of the tallest building on the planet. The lack of harsh sunlight was a relief to my eyes, but somehow it seemed to feed the fearful fire in my heart as the walkway dimmed to the darkness of shadow.

I paused at the base of the monumental staircase leading to the entrance. The walkway had become completely deserted, and the emptiness continued right to the main doors at the top of the stairs. A slight breeze tousled my chestnut hair, though it could not inflict much damage to the knot of my ponytail. I pulled my gray cloak closer to my form, shielding the skin exposed by my black tank top from the cold. Black pants whipped around my legs as the wind picked up, and, combined with my nearly unbearable fear, produced a shiver. I hugged my cloak closer to my body, squinting hazel eyes up the golden statue-guarded door. I clenched my jaw and put on the strongest expression I could muster, and then finally began to climb.

I counted one hundred and thirty-seven steps before I heard voices above me, carried and amplified by the wind. There were two figures in brown cloaks conversing at the summit of the staircase, seemingly oblivious to my presence. As I neared the pair, however, they quieted and bowed their heads against the wind to see who approached. It took me sixty-three more steps to reach them, but I still could not think of what to say by the time we met.

"And who might you be?" The taller of the figures spoke first, face completely shadowed by the hood of the cloak. "It's rare that anyone approaches the Temple unannounced."

"I..." Pause. The speech I had prepared explaining myself vanished from my mind, and I was left silent. I looked to the shorter figure, hoping for a face, but again found only shadow under a concealing hood.

"We don't mean to frighten you," he said. By their voices I could tell that both figures were male. "But we do need to know what you're doing here."

"Sorry, I…have quite a bit of…information that I wish to share with the Jedi," I stammered, speaking so softly that both men leaned towards me to catch my words before they were taken by the wind. "It's quite a story of how I came to know all this, but I know the Jedi…and the galaxy as a whole…will benefit from my knowledge."

I could practically sense both men's eyebrows raise at such a claim, though I couldn't see any of their features. They turned towards one another for just a moment before the taller man spoke.

"Do you seek a meeting with the Council?" he asked calmly.

My eyes widened. "That…that would be wonderful, but I'm guessing highly unlikely," I said, feeling a bit more comfortable. Both men seemed to radiate kindness, slowly dampening the fear in my chest, putting me at ease. I wondered if this was what it felt like to be in the presence of all Jedi.

The taller man chuckled slightly. "You guess correctly, young one. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Andraya Saino," I said, wishing for eye contact. "May I ask who you are?"

Finally, he reached for his hood, pulling it back to its resting place behind his shoulders to reveal a strong, chiseled face emphasized by a graying beard. Previously trapped hair blew from behind his head. I recognized him instantly.

"Qui-Gon Jinn," I breathed, stunned at the recognition.

Now an eyebrow did raise, though the Jedi Master remained silent. I eagerly glanced to his side as the other man lowered his hood to reveal another familiar face.

"Shall I introduce myself, or will you do it for me?" he asked with a slight smirk, folding his arms inside his sleeves for warmth.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," I said, earning another slightly raised eyebrow. "It's a pleasure and an honor to meet you both," I added, hoping to lessen the tension I accidentally created. Both men chuckled.

"Well, then please do us the honor of accompanying us to a slightly warmer location where we can listen to this story of yours properly, Andraya," Qui-Gon said, starting down the stairs.

The first time I had a chance to catch my breath amidst my monologue was hours later, and I took the opportunity to take in my surroundings. The restaurant was dimly lit and seemed the perfectly cliché place for this type of meeting to occur. The Jedi had chosen to sit in the corner, putting me with my back to the room, but I could hear dozens of creatures speaking in as many tongues as they sat at the bar to chat and have a drink. I turned my attention back to my audience, expecting skepticism and a prompt dismissal.

"So, let me get this straight," Obi-Wan said, leaning his elbows on the table and looking me straight in the eye. "You aren't from this planet, or this galaxy even, but where you came from there was a story describing the events of this universe."

"Right."

"And, therefore, you think you can tell us the future."

"Right."

The younger Jedi didn't attempt to mask his skepticism as he sighed and leaned back in his chair. He didn't say anything, just gave a tired look to his master.

Qui-Gon seemed more willing to accept what I had said as truth. "The story is quite difficult to believe, as you have said," he began, crossing his arms. "But I don't sense any malice in your efforts. So I'll propose a sort of…test, if you will."

"Master—"

"Tell us something that will happen, Andraya, something soon and specific. If it comes to pass exactly as you say, I think you will have earned our trust, and we'll have a case to make to the Council. If not, well…then you can be on your way."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth as if he were about to speak, but just closed it again in a tight line and silently looked to me for an answer instead.

I nodded slowly. "Of course. I didn't expect you to trust me immediately."

"Good, then we have a deal." Now Qui-Gon leaned his elbows on the table and bore a gaze into my own. "So, Andraya, what can you tell us?"

I stayed silent for a few long moments. There were hundreds of things I could have said, but I wanted it to be something small, almost insignificant, so that I wouldn't frighten the Jedi away. Both men appeared to calmly be awaiting for my answer, but I could feel the tension rising with each passing second that I didn't respond. I lowered my head to break eye contact and tried to ignore the pressure. There had to be something…

"The mission," I said suddenly, snapping my head back to look Qui-Gon square in the eye. "Has the Council given you a mission regarding a Trade Federation blockade yet?"

The Jedi Master raised an eyebrow and leaned back. "A blockade?"

I sighed in relief. "Good, that's it then. The Council will assign you both a mission to negotiate with the Trade Federation concerning their blockade of the planet Naboo."

"The Trade Federation isn't aggressive enough to play a move like that," Obi-Wan said, frowning. "It seems unlikely there would be need for such a mission."

"Well, if there is, please…let me at least tell you a bit more before you leave for Naboo. A lot of what I know rests in events that transpire during that mission."

"That is the deal," Qui-Gon said, getting up. "For now, though, I'm afraid Obi-Wan and I need to return to the Temple."

I nodded and rose from my chair, quickly grabbing a paper from the pocket inside my cloak. I handed it to Qui-Gon.

"Here, this is my address and workplace. If you need to contact me, just stop by."

Qui-Gon smirked as he read the information. "You work at Dex's?"

"I…well, it's a long story, but yes, I'm a waitress there." I said, following the two Jedi out of the restaurant.

"Well, then we'll definitely have to pay you a visit," Qui-Gon said. "It was good meeting you, Andraya. We'll be in touch."

"And it was a pleasure to meet you both," I said, feeling like I should bow. But the two were gone before I could execute such a ridiculous gesture, and I turned to walk back to my apartment, battling the harsh glare once more.


	2. Chapter 2

I awoke the next morning to the incessant shrill beeping of my alarm clock, which I silenced with a fist as quick as I could manage at that hour of the morning. Grumbling, I gave up the comfort of my bed and dressed in my waitress uniform, pulled my hair back, and fastened my nametag to the front of my shirt. I was almost out the door before I remembered the events of the previous day.

I stopped dead in my tracks, heart beating a mile a minute. I wondered frantically if the Jedi would come to see me that day, and then, more rationally, if it would really change much if they did. They would probably just come to me for information every now and then. Perhaps the Council would actually meet with me once or twice. I would get to see the inside of the Temple, then, which would be exciting, but, more or less, my life would remain normal. Or however normal life had been since I arrived on Coruscant.

Comforted back to sanity, I left the apartment and started the brief walk down the sun assaulted walkway to Dexter's Diner. It was incredibly nice of Dex to give me a job based solely on the sob story that I had no money and no roof over my head. The story was true at the time, almost a month before when I had first arrived, but nonetheless a common one. Dex had even been nice enough to suggest a cheap apartment, and to help pay for it until I made enough at the diner to cover rent. He really was as nice as I had hoped based on what I knew.

"Mornin', little lady!" Dex called to me as I entered, using the nickname he had devised the first time we met. "How's your weekend?"

"It was…eventful," I called back, walking behind the counter to the computer console. "I met with some Jedi and told them my story."

"Oh, is that so?" Dex appeared in the window between the restaurant and the kitchen. "What did they say?"

"Well," I said, entering my clock-in information to the computer, "they seemed to believe me somewhat. I think you know them, actually. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan?"

"You don't say!" Dex's hairy face contorted into a huge grin at the sound of his friends' names. "Qui-Gon'll believe you, alright. That apprentice of his will too, in time. He's a bit more…skeptical." He laughed.

"So it seems," I said, finishing with the computer and gazing around the empty diner. "Slow morning, huh?"

"Yeah, seems it. Even so, got to get cooking for the lunch rush, little lady. I'll be back here somewhere if you need me."

"'Kay," I said, gazing out the window. I was hoping the Jedi would come soon; I was growing impatient already. The dread of my knowledge being wrong grew every moment the Jedi didn't arrive at the diner door to tell me otherwise.

Hardly anyone came into the diner that morning, but, as Dex predicted, it grew busier around lunchtime. Flo, Dex's waitress droid, and I flitted from table to table, taking orders and calling them back to Dex through the window to the kitchen. When everyone had finally been served, I leaned back on the wall behind the fully occupied counter to catch my breath.

I didn't have more than a moment of calm, however; the next time I glanced at the door it was being swung open by two very familiar Jedi. They scanned the diner and somehow found an empty booth in the corner. Flo was at their side in moments to take their order, but I wasn't far behind.

"Ah, Andraya. Just the girl we wanted to see," Qui-Gon said, smiling at me. "Can you spare a moment?"

I glanced at Flo. "Think you can handle it for a few minutes?"

"Sure thing, honey!" came the cheerful metallic response. The droid pivoted on her single wheel and went to tend the other tables.

I sat down across from the Jedi, trying not to look or sound too eager. "So any new missions lately?" I ventured, completely failing in my endeavor.

"Yes, actually," Qui-Gon began, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "It seems the Trade Federation has decided to enforce a trade blockade around Naboo, and we are to negotiate with them to see if we can't disperse it."

I couldn't help but smile. Everything would happen as I knew it would! Or, would happen if I said and did nothing. I would help these people, though.

I knew from that moment that I would do everything I could to avoid the dark times ahead.

"When we received the mission, I told the Council about you, Andraya," Qui-Gon continued, growing serious. "They wish to meet with you as soon as possible."

My eyes widened. "Meet…with me? Really?"

He nodded. "It would be best if you were to come with us now so that you may speak with them before we depart for Naboo," he said, glancing back at the window to the kitchen. In doing so he happened to catch Dex's eye.

"Qui-Gon!" Dex boomed, abandoning whatever he was cooking and coming to meet the Jedi. "Good to see you again old buddy!"

"You too, Dex," the Jedi Master said with a smile, rising to accept the huge diner owner's embrace. "It's been far too long, my friend."

"That is has! And Obi-Wan! Good seeing you, too!"

"Hello, Dex," the younger Jedi said, smiling as well.

"I'm afraid we need to borrow your waitress for the day, Dex," Qui-Gon said. "The Council has requested her immediate presence."

"Told you they'd believe you!" Dex said, clapping me on the back.

"You were right, as usual. But do you mind if I take the day off?"

"'Course not, little lady! Go tell those Jedi what they need to know!"

I smiled. "Thanks, Dex. I owe you one!"

"Nah. Now get out of here! That Council doesn't mess around, you know. They say they want to see you right away, they mean it!"

"Alright, see you later, Dex," Qui-Gon said, leading the way out of the diner. Once outside, he didn't stop before heading for the Temple.

"Um, Qui-Gon, sir? Should I go home first and change?" I called after him, looking down at my waitress uniform.

"Time is of the essence, Andraya," Qui-Gon said, only half turning to speak to me as he continued in his path towards the Temple.

"You look fine," Obi-Wan said, coming to walk beside me. "Might want to lose the nametag, though," he added with a smirk.

"Oh! Right," I said, quickly unclipping the badge and stuffing it in my pocket. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"Claim to see the future, do you?"

"No, sir. I already know it."

"Hmm…intriguing, this is."

I had only been in the Council chambers for a few minutes, but I already wanted to leave. I had immediately abandoned the notion that all Jedi radiated kindness upon simply entering that room. Standing before the twelve most important Jedi with as many sets of eyes boring through my mind to read my thoughts and feelings was uncomfortable to say the least. Terrifying would be more accurate. No kidding a nine-year-old kid felt scared in their presence.

"It's quite a story," Mace Windu said after Yoda had remained silent for a moment.

"With all due respect, I've earned Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's trust."

"One example, that is," Yoda said, leaning forward. "A fluke, it could have been."

"Then give me another chance to prove myself," I said, surprised at the strength in my voice. "Let me advise them on the mission you recently assigned them. They could benefit greatly from just a few simple warnings, I assure you."

"Wish to accompany them, you do," Yoda said, boring holes into my mind with his gaze. "Allow that, we cannot."

"I never wished that, sir. I only ask that I may speak with them before they depart for Naboo."

"Hm."

The entire Council remained silent for the next few minutes, as if wordlessly conversing with one another. Finally, Mace spoke.

"Go, then, and speak with them. Until the validity of your intentions is proven, however, I suggest that you remain here in the Temple."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

I stared at the Jedi Master in disbelief. "Sir, my job—"

"We will take care of that. This will only be temporary."

The rest of the Council members nodded their consent, and the decision was unanimous. I looked around in wonder at the Jedi Masters allowing me to stay in their Temple, for however short a time.

"It's settled then. We'll send someone to show you to your quarters after you've spoken to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. May the Force be with you."

Mace's dismissal was echoed throughout the chamber. I bowed my head out of respect, then left the room, trying not to hurry. Once the turbolift door had shut behind me, however, I breathed the biggest sigh of relief I had ever experienced.

When I reached the main levels, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were waiting for me.

"Well, it looks like I'm going to be staying here for a while," I said by way of greeting.

"I thought as much," Qui-Gon said. "They want to be sure you're to be trusted before they put you in the potential path of…those who would abuse your knowledge."

I nodded. "In any case, they've allowed me to speak with you before you leave for Naboo."

"Then tell us what we need to know," he said, gesturing to a bench down the richly carpeted hallway.

I followed the Jedi and began telling them what they would benefit so greatly from knowing concerning the first part of the fateful mission to Naboo.


	3. Chapter 3

Three agonizing days of waiting and feeling helpless passed by slower than I thought time capable of moving. Although the Temple was filled with thousands of incredibly beautiful and meditative rooms, it was hard to appreciate them with the fate of the galaxy potentially hanging over my head. If all went as it should, the Jedi pair would be returning from their detour to Tatooine any time now, with Anakin in tow.

That particular day I had decided to explore the enormous cavern of a room that was known as The Room of a Thousand Fountains. It certainly lived up to its name; fountains, waterfalls, and ponds filled the gargantuan room with the calming sound of rushing water. I was sitting on a stone bench beside a particularly beautiful waterfall, thinking over my choices on what to tell the Jedi before they had embarked on their mission.

I had decided to tell them nothing of Anakin's future, only that he would become a very powerful Jedi one day, but would need a little…adjustment in his training if he was to be completely successful. There would be time for the rest of the story later, if I proved myself with this final test.

I suppose I could have simply told them not to free Anakin at all, but I knew Qui-Gon would never go for that. Besides, I believed that the Jedi prophecy was true to some degree. Anakin could destroy the evil of the galaxy, if he wasn't tempted to join them instead.

"This room has lost more people to thought that I care to imagine."

I jumped at the sudden voice behind me, whirling to find Obi-Wan standing at the edge of a pond.

"Oh! You're back!" I said, leaping up from the bench to face him. "How did it go?" I asked slowly, unable to read his expression.

He waited a moment before speaking. "You...were right. About everything," he began, slowly turning to face me. "All that you said about the Trade Federation seems…incredibly plausible with recent events. And with Anakin…over twenty thousand…" He trailed off, the fountains losing him in thought as well.

"So I guess the Council will finally trust me now, right?" I asked.

Obi-Wan nodded. "I don't see why they wouldn't. It would be incredibly foolish of them not to make good use of what you have to tell them. They want to see you when you have a minute."

I smiled slightly, turning back to the waterfall. A few moments passed before he spoke again.

"You didn't tell us everything about Anakin." It wasn't a question.

I sighed. "No. I couldn't. And I still can't," I said, facing him. "I really should tell the Council the whole story before I say anything else. I don't want to have to be selective with what I say any longer."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Can you just tell me one thing?"

"If I can."

"Is he…Is Anakin dangerous?"

"You're convinced he is, aren't you?"

The Jedi pursed his lips. "And Qui-Gon is convinced otherwise."

"Well," I said, walking around him to head for the exit. "You're both right. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to see the Council."

I heard him call after me, no doubt to get me to tell him something more concrete, but I didn't turn around.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey…wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? If any of you are familiar with my track record, you're not doubt in shock that I even returned to this story at all. But…thing is, I haven't stopped thinking about this story since I seemingly abandoned it almost a year ago, and I have it almost completely played out in my head now, so I kind of need to finish it, even if only for my own sake. So…whether there are reviews, fans, readers…I will continue and finish this story the way I intended! That's a promise. It might take me a while, and there might be huge gaps between chapters sometimes (art school is rather demanding…who knew? ;) ), but none as long as a year ever again I promise!

So sit back, relax, and hopefully enjoy the rest of this story play out to its eventual but certain completion!

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The minute I set foot in the High Council's meeting room I could sense a severe difference in atmosphere from the last time I had been in the room. All twelve members of the elite group still had their expressions set in the grim indifference I was beginning to become accustomed to, but the extreme tension that had initially frightened me seemed to be lifted significantly, if not completely gone. Even their doubt seemed to be less harsh than it had been in our previous meeting.

What really surprised me was the strange feeling I had that THEY were afraid of ME. I'm no Jedi, but one doesn't necessarily have to be to sense things like fear and apprehension in other beings, especially when it's you they're afraid of. I almost chuckled when I first realized it, but kept my mirth in check in favor of keeping the most powerful beings in the galaxy on my side.

"Tell us more about the boy." Master Windu prompted me again, watching me with that incredibly intimidating gaze he seemed to always use, no matter what the situation. "He did better with the tests than we expected."

"Is he the chosen one?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.

I had the full attention of every being in that room as I opened my mouth to speak, but never got a chance to say anything. Thinking back, I wouldn't have known where to begin even if I had been given the chance.

Before I could say anything, the doors to the Council chamber slid silently open. Qui-Gon strode in calmly, giving the slightest of bows before taking his place next to me in the center of the room. Obi-Wan reluctantly followed, looking ashamed about something, head down as he too bowed and stood beside Qui-Gon. Anakin stood for a moment near the door, eying me warily before responding to Qui-Gon's gesture and joining us.

"Thank you for joining us," Mace said.

"I thought we were going to discuss things before—"

"Andraya, please. There are other matters at hand that must be dealt with in a timely manner," he cut me off.

"Will he be trained?" I started at the abruptness of Qui-Gon's words. I could feel the tension that I had begun to associate with the room creeping back through the transparisteel with every passing second.

"No, he will not be trained." Mace said curtly.

"No?"

"He's too old."

I looked back and forth between Mace and Qui-Gon, witnessing the battle of a couple of the strongest Jedi wills in the Temple. The tension had risen to boiling point. I had to say something.

"We never agreed on that," I squeaked, trying to gather my courage.

"Matter, your opinion does, Andraya," Yoda said quietly, "but for now, final, our decision is."

It was all I could do not to stand and gape at the highest Jedi master on the council. Why was I even there if Anakin simply wasn't going to be trained after all?

Before I could retort, Qui-Gon was speaking again. "I will train him then. I take Anakin as my Padawan learner."

Damn. I had forgotten about that.

The argument played out just as I knew it would. The council put its foot down, Obi-Wan bristled, and Anakin looked about as confused as a nine-year-old boy could. I sighed, looking past the Jedi masters at the Coruscant skyline. Had it been so long? We had talked past sunset and still they weren't hearing me. They still weren't allowing Anakin to be trained.

"Now really isn't the time for all this anyway," I said, beating Mace to the punch. "Isn't Queen Amidala headed back to Naboo by now?"

"That's correct," Master Windu said, still a bit surprised by my accuracy. "She will need to be escorted."

"And it may draw out the Queen's mysterious attacker," Ki-Adi-Mundi added.

"Leave in the morning, you will," Yoda said. "May the Force be with you."

"Andraya, we will continue our discussion in the morning as well. We will send someone to show you to your quarters later tonight."

"Thank you again for your hospitality and trust, Masters," I said, bowing and heading for the door. The Jedi and Anakin followed a moment later.

"Quarters?" Obi-Wan said, once we were out of earshot in the turbolift. "I thought you were already given a temporary residence here."

"The Council has decided to allow me to live here permanently," I said, smiling. "It seems you were right – they do trust me now, and believe I could be of some use to them." _Even if they haven't been too willing to accept my advice quite yet, _I thought.

Obi-Wan's jaw dropped. "But…that's unheard of!"

"Andraya, would you like to join us for an evening meal? I imagine after spending the day with the Council you must have built up quite an appetite," Qui-Gon interjected, physically stepping between Obi-Wan and I as he exited the turbolift.

"Thank you, I would appreciate that," I replied, following him down the hall. Obi-Wan continued to shake his head in disbelief as he reluctantly came along, Anakin still silently in tow.

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"But Master! It IS unheard of! There has never been a being that was _not_ a Jedi living permanently in the Temple!"

"Would you rather she be captured and have her knowledge used for evil?"

"Well…no, but…it still seems rather…unorthodox if you ask me."  
"You still have much to learn, Padawan. I actually agree with the Council on this particular decision."

Half an hour after arriving at the cafeteria, Obi-Wan had not let the issue rest. I risked a glance across the narrow table at the younger Jedi, who was simply shaking his head as he stabbed another mouthful of whatever we were eating with his fork. Looking down at my own plate, the subject of my interest for most of the conversation thus far, I risked another bite of the strange grayish-blue substance that made up this evening's meal for the Jedi in the cafeteria.

"What is this stuff, anyway?" I asked, uncertain if I wished to know the answer.

"Kragut jelly. High in protein, and, thankfully, mostly tasteless," Qui-Gon answered, happily digging into his own portion of the gelatinous meal.

"Why thankfully?"

"Well, Kraguts are animals native to the Yelet system that excrete jelly when frightened or mating that most species find—"

"Okay, okay. I think I get it now," I said, pushing my plate away.

"Suit yourself," Qui-Gon said with a smirk, finishing off his meal.

"You shouldn't be so picky if you plan on living here. You should be thankful they feed you at all," Obi-Wan muttered.

"Hey, what happened to believing everything I said and being thankful for my knowledge?" I asked, crossing my arms across my chest and glaring at him. He looked up and held my gaze for a second before responding, brow furrowing in thought.

"Sorry." He went back to his meal.

_What…_I thought, looking at him quizzically. _He didn't seem so…suspicious before in the fountain room! _I glanced at Qui-Gon for an explanation for his apprentice's strange behavior, but found him with an equally confused expression on his face.

A second later, Qui-Gon's comlink buzzed, signaling an incoming transmission.

"That would be Master Yoda," he said, rising and moving to a quieter part of the noisy cafeteria.

I glanced back across the table at Obi-Wan, searching his features for any clue as to why he was still suspicious of me. Finally, he sighed and looked up to match my gaze.

"Forgive me for not blindly trusting a stranger that claims to have the power to alter the fate of the universe," he said, leaning behind him and dumping his plate and utensils in a recycler, "but you have to admit, it is a rather…suspicious story."

"But the mission! And Anakin! And…and everything else I told you—"

Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan from across the table at the mention of his name. "She knew about me?" he asked, looking back and forth between the two of us.

Obi-Wan frowned and nodded his head, looking past me, seemingly lost in his own thoughts again. Anakin looked at me in amazement, but before I could say anything, Qui-Gon returned to the table.

"Obi-Wan, Anakin. Yoda needs to see us," he said, clipping his comlink back to his belt.

"Coming, Master."

"Andraya, I believe there is a Padawan in the main hall that can lead you to your quarters," Qui-Gon said, leading us out of the cafeteria.

I nodded, still wondering what I had done to seem so suspicious. It wasn't like I had even told them yet that the Sith were still alive and well.

Wait. The Sith!

Oops.

"Qui-Gon, sir, wait!" I called after the Jedi, running away from a very confused Padawan guide.

"Andraya," the older Jedi said, turning to face me with the amused look I had gotten used to, "There is no need to call me 'sir'. Save that for the Council."

"Sorry, s—Qui-Gon," I said, "I was just making sure I would get to speak to you both before you left again for Naboo. There are still things I haven't told you, and the Council said that I shouldn't go around telling people things without first consulting them and—"

"Slow down, Andraya!" Qui-Gon said, expression slowly changing to concern. "If it's that important, why don't you come with us now to speak with Yoda and ask if you can tell us whatever it is that has you so frantic."

"Master, he didn't say—"

"Obi-Wan, this is in everyone's best interests. Would you please give the girl a chance?" Qui-Gon turned to his apprentice, casting him a look of confusion and concern.

That put him back in his place. "Right. Sorry, Master," the younger Jedi said, continuing on his path to the turbolift.

Qui-Gon and I exchanged a confused glance, but headed to the turbolift without another word. I had known Obi-Wan less than a day, but already I could tell something was wrong. And that I was the cause.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: And for anyone who still has this thing on an alert system…you get two chapters at once! A small apology from me to you, my faithful readers ;)

Oh, and P.S.! If anyone can suggest a better title…by all means tell me! The one I chose had more to do with the beginning of the story that I wound up not even posting (about how Andraya got to Coruscant…which I decided was irrelevant), so it's not really fitting. And it's confusing. And makes new readers shy away from it, cuz it's just so weird! So please, suggestions are welcome. Just promise you'll find the story under the new name and continue reading:)

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It turns out Yoda had planned on summoning me after I had settled into my new room to have me speak about the rest of the events concerning the Naboo mission. I told them everything I could possibly think of, from warning the Jedi about Darth Maul to encouraging Anakin to let his instincts guide him in the Trade Federation droid control ship. Yoda never interrupted me once, listening intently to everything I had to say. It was refreshing after Mace's constant bombardments earlier.

Qui-Gon and Anakin were equally receptive, asking questions and clarifying what I told them. Obi-Wan listened respectfully, but I kept thinking he looked…distracted. Whenever I would make eye contact with him and tell him something, he would nod in response, but then immediately go back to adopting that faraway, pensive expression.

Our meeting lasted almost four hours, and when we finally adjourned from Yoda's office, we headed our separate ways to get some sleep, the Jedi to their regular quarters, Anakin to his temporary residence, and I to my new room the eager padawan finally got to show me.

It was a standard room in the Jedi barracks, which filled a very large portion of the northern corner of the Temple. The middle of the block was hollow, which would have allowed me to see the top floor from the turbolift station at the bottom had it not gone so high. Wrap-around hallways ringed every level, peppered with doors, one for every Jedi in the galaxy, which accounted for the sheer height of the complex.

The padawan took me to the three hundredth and forty-third level of the complex and around the corner of the hall to room 343-27. She gestured to the door, gave a slight bow, and left back the way we had come. I prayed I would be able to pick out my door from the masses in the future when I had no guide.

There was no lock on the door, which made sense the more I thought about it later. I pressed the green button beside the plain doorway, and the slab slid into the wall, revealing a tiny but accommodating room. I stepped inside, and the door closed automatically behind me.

There was a few shelves to my right, and a small washing station to my left. Farther into the room, a bed sat neatly between the niche the wall and the wash station created, and a desk sat between the wall and the shelves on my right. On the desk was a holoprojector and a small lamp. The bed was made immaculately, and sleepwear had been folded carefully on top of the pillow. A change of clothes was also laid out at the foot of the bed.

I thought for a moment about changing and going to sleep, but the longer I stood there, the more I realized that would never happen. There were too many things filling my head to even think realistically about sleep. So instead, I changed into the day clothes, grateful for something clean to wear, and went back to the turbolift to continue my earlier pursuit of exploring the enormous Jedi Temple.

I wandered for a bit after reaching the main floor, trying to remember things I passed so I could find my way back. It actually was much less difficult than I first imagined – the Temple's layout was well-organized. And the immense collection of art that varied greatly between sections didn't hurt, either.

I passed a great number of hallways, but one caught my eye as I reached a dead end. I almost turned back, but then I realized why this hallway seemed different…it was the only one not still lit this late into the night.

Curious, I wandered down it, still marveling at the beauty of the immense columns that filled the cavernous halls. There were tall windows evenly spaced along the left wall, signaling that I had walked to the edge of the massive building. I paused at one window that had a huge sill, hopping up to sit on it, pulling my legs close to my chest.

The view outside was magnificent. Coruscant, it seemed, never slept. Lights still glittered as far as I could see, reflecting off the still heavy traffic in the skylanes above and below me. Looking up, the sky also shone with stars, despite the light radiating from the planet. It was foreign and strange, but still breathtakingly beautiful.

I started at the sound of footsteps approaching from behind me, whirling around to see who was coming through the darkness.

The figure stopped cold when I turned, and I realized my face was illuminated from the light outside. After a moment, my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I could make out the person's face.

"Obi-Wan?" I asked in disbelief.

"Andraya. Good to see you've found one of my favorite places to be alone in the Temple," he said quietly, coming into the light of the window and leaning against the wall on the opposite side. I shifted to lean against the frame, still sitting on the sill.

"I'm…I'm sorry, I was just wandering. I found it odd this hallway was dark, and then the view…" I trailed off, watching his face. He had turned to look out the window.

Minutes passed by, and I began to wonder if he had even heard me. Finally, he sighed and began to speak.

"You have no reason to apologize to me, Andraya. If anything, I should apologize to you," he said, turning to face me. "I remained suspicious of your intentions even after you had proved yourself so obviously trustworthy. You only wish to help us, and I'm sorry for thinking otherwise."

"Don't…don't worry about it," I said, almost shrinking back from his gaze. There was something else behind it, something…intense.

He dropped his gaze, raising and lowering his eyebrows in a quick gesture. "I suppose you're wondering why I was the only one that seemed against you."

"I…it's really none of my business—"

"You have the right to know." He looked out the window again. "You are no doubt aware of Jedi premonitions?"

"You mean seeing the future in dreams?"

"Exactly. More often than not, however, dreams are just that for a Jedi – simple subconscious…garbage, really. A montage of memories, feelings…" he trailed off for a moment before looking at me again and continuing. "The night before you arrived at the Temple, I dreamt of a girl who would help the Jedi…and who would help me."

"Me?" I breathed, transfixed by the idea.

"I didn't think so at first," he said, moving to lean on the sill. "I thought it was a passing dream, or, at the very most, a premonition of your arrival. Nothing more." He paused. "But I have had the dream repeatedly since I met you, each time with more clarity in both detail and meaning," he said quietly. He pivoted his head to look directly at me. "I'm positive now that it is you in the dream. The circumstances of your arrival are…bizarre at best, as the dream was. Somehow…somehow I think it is all connected." He paused again, but the next time he spoke, it was stronger and with more surety than I had ever heard anyone speak with.

"It was the will of the Force that you arrive, Andraya. I'm sure of it. And it's telling me to trust you completely, to help you prevent the darkness from spreading.

"It's revealed to me that you are strong and wise, and that I should listen to whatever you have to say. I can't ignore it…it wasn't just a passing dream, or a subconscious expression of my opinions or feelings.

"The Force has brought you here, Andraya. Please know that from now on, I will acknowledge that and believe in you and your advice completely.

"You have my trust."


End file.
